Healthy Habits 1-22 ~ Slow and Steady

Last week I started working on some Healthy Habits. Yes, that means eating right and exercising, but I’m thinking bigger. I’m also talking about getting enough sleep, reading my bible and taking care of myself and my home. I decided to start small and begin with these four things:

1.) Go to bed and get up on time. – Check! I’ve been getting up by 7, and some mornings before! I’ve been going to bed early enough to get up easily. At first I was hitting the 5-minute-snooze button once or twice but today I got up at 6:50. Only one morning did I sleep in “late” by almost an hour. My ultimate goal is 6:30am, so I’ll shoot for 6:45 this week.

2.) Start my day with time with the Lord. – Check! I think I did this every day but one! I had some really nice and quiet Quiet Time before moving on to other things.

3.) Use my food diary with MyFitnessPal.com (I have an app for it, and at this point I’m not worried too much about WHAT I eat as much as I’m building the habit of paying attention and writing it all down. Besides, I eat better when I write it down anyway! If you want to join me, my username is “mrsamberoliver.” Come find me!) – Check. I didn’t do this over the weekend, but I worked on developing the habit of paying attention to what I was eating, how much, and entering it into the app.

4.) Drink enough water. – LOL! Well, I didn’t define “enough.” I drank more than I have been, but not as much as I’d like to, so I’ll keep working on that.

So overall the week went well! I’m glad I was focusing more on tracking what I eat and notsomuch on eating healthy, because we ate out for a farewell dinner and then we brought the leftover cake home. It’s true what they say, if it’s in the house– you’ll eat it!

Moving into the new week, I want to keep all of the habits I had above and add a few more:

5.) Weigh and measure myself at the beginning of the week. The goal is to keep an eye on it, not to obsess over it.

6.) Make healthy eating choices.

7.) Be diligent with the kids’ bed routine, story time, prayer time, in bed on time, so that they get enough sleep to be healthy, too!

8.) Go to bed with a tidy house.

Those will be the habits that I’m adding in this week (which means I’m putting off adding exercise at least another week, but I’m okay with that.) ;0) I need to make sure that the schedule and flow of our day is functioning well enough that I can make time to exercise without any excuses! “Slow and Steady” is my motto this week.

P.S. Speaking of Happy, Healthy homes — Dana from A Slob Comes Clean is celebrating her 39th birthday for January 22! For the 22nd only (well, beginning at 8pm central on the 21st) both “Drowning in Clutter?” and “28 Days to Hope for Your Home” are on sale, together for only $2.20 each (since her bday is the 22nd) or 3.90 for the bundle (since she’s turning 39)! Click here to get the books. Use the code: BIRTHDAY

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Amber

Hey, y’all! I'm Amber, and I wear many hats: Pastor's wife, marriage advocate,eclectic homeschooler, mother of three, and domestically challenged homemaker--lovin’ life and livin’ deep in the heart of Texas.
I love to write and I hope to use that wisely, to encourage others, and for God’s glory. I seek purpose in the mundane. I want my kids to see God’s fingerprints throughout all of creation, learning, and life. As I teach our children, God is teaching me through this homeschool journey, too. I love Jesus, family, coffee, words, and the color teal.
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Vicki Arnold

Good job! I’m with you on getting up early. My goal is 6 a.m. It’s been interesting. I was actually up before today and yesterday. And I’m not completely dragging! 🙂

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January 22, 2013 9:28 am

Guest

Amber

I may eventually change my goal wake time to 6am.. but I’m going to do 6:30 for a while and see if that’s moved up far enough. We’ll see! It helps that the cold weather is coming to an end here. It’s always so much harder to get up earlier when it’s so cold in the morning!

Reply

January 23, 2013 7:48 pm

Guest

Dollie @ Teachers of Good Things

I love to see it when people make realist goals and work faithful on little things that can add up to a lot of positive in their lives and homes.

Getting up early has been one of the best things I have been doing for weeks and all without the alarm clock. I wouldn’t be able to do that if it weren’t for going to bed earlier. Last night was I falling asleep at 9pm on the couch!

Keep it up!

Reply

January 22, 2013 11:40 am

Guest

Amber

The little things really do add up!
I’ve been getting drowsy really early, too – but that makes it easier to go to bed on time. 😉

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January 23, 2013 7:50 pm

Guest

May

Your goals are the same as mine currently – I’ve just started attending daily morning prayer which doubles as both time with the Lord and getting up early (although for me, early is more like 8am!). I don’t use MFP any more but I’m cutting out snacking, sweets and second portions except at weekends. Drinking more water is fairly essential too, I don’t do enough of that.

Good luck with the new goals! They say it takes three weeks to form a habit, so you’re doing well.

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January 22, 2013 12:06 pm

Guest

Amber

I’ve always heard that it takes three weeks but I’ve felt like it takes me three months. 😉 It takes so long for a new habit to really become a natural part of my lifestyle. I’ve had many of these habits before, I’ve just gotten out of them. = \
You’re right about the water!

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January 23, 2013 7:53 pm

Guest

Kathy's Kitchen

I’m enjoying reading what healthy habits others are working on. I’ve got to include more water for sure! Four days out of the week I wake at 6am (for work) but cuddle with hubby for 20 minutes before we actually get up, but otherwise I do like to sleep-in a bit. Yep, need to work on that tidy house too! Good to see you @ Healthy Habits Tuesday!

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January 22, 2013 5:03 pm

Guest

Amber

It feels so much nicer to get up early in the morning if the house is already tidy, doesn’t it? That’s why I’m adding that one on there. It’ll help me with my morning routine if I don’t have to worry about stuff undone from the night before. =)

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January 23, 2013 7:56 pm

Guest

Becky Marie

I’m also working right now to develop a habit of getting up early. My goal is to eventually get up at 5 (crazy, I know!) so I can get plenty done before my kids get up at 7. My days are always so much better when I’m up and have time to read scripture first thing. Thanks for sharing your journey with all of us!

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January 22, 2013 8:54 pm

Guest

Amber

FIVE!!
You’re much more ambitious that I am. =p

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January 23, 2013 8:11 pm

Guest

Betsie

I loved reading this! We just moved to Texas from Michigan and during the last few months, all my routines have fallen by the wayside. With the exception of getting up early and spending my time with God, everything else is a mess! We’re getting back into the routine this Monday and I am really looking forward to it. I love how much your goals resemble mine. Makes me feel like I might just be normal!

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February 2, 2013 9:28 am

Guest

Amber

Welcome to Texas!
Moving sure can throw off those routines! I know how that goes. But when you’re moving, I think that *IS* normal. 😉 Best wishes with getting back into the swing of things, I know it can be so hard!